The Registration and Licensing Authority’s (RLA’s) decision to issue tokens to visitors for work related to driving licences led to a queue of about 70 people at the office on Monday.

A QUEUE TO CUT THE QUEUE? People wanting the RLA to process their application for driving licence had to first line-up for get the token on Monday.(Anil Dayal/HT Photo)

The Registration and Licensing Authority’s (RLA’s) decision to issue tokens to visitors for work related to driving licences led to a queue of about 70 people at the office on Monday.

Even those who registered online for an appointment — the facility started just last month — were asked to fall in line on the first day of the new system. The RLA has not explained the logic for introducing the system.

How it works

A visitor is allotted a token number and is then supposed to wait till the number is flashed at any of the seven counters that will finally accept his application.

Such a system is usually used in banks and at telecom company offices to increase efficiency.

In the RLA’s case, however, it led to chaos and harassment.

Just the lone ticket window

With only a single window issuing tokens, over 70 people had queued up at the counter at 11am on Monday. With the clerk at the window asking each applicant’s work and then printing out a token, the process took up a lot of time.

“It took me 40 minutes to reach the token window standing in the long queue. I had to get my driving licence renewed and got late for my office. I am really disappointed that there was only one window for tokens. More counters are needed,” said BN Sharma of Sector 16.

He added that the office should install automatic token-vending machines.

No provision of separate queues for senior citizens and ladies also led to resentment among many.

Sushil Joshi of Sector 20-A said, “I showed my senior citizen card to the staff, requesting for preferential treatment. I was asked to get in line. In this system, an applicant will have to take the token again, if the application is found to be incomplete.”

RLA in-charge Amit Talwar did not respond to repeated calls and text messages on his mobile phone.

The system for issuing tokens for work related to registration certificates has been on at the RLA for around a year.

A source said the system worked for the RCs as there were far fewer applicants for availing this service.